Ladysmith Black Mambazo

“You don’t go to a Ladysmith Black Mambazo show for innovation; you go to be reminded that the human voice is the most beautiful sound on Earth.” —Washington Post

For 45 years, the voices of Ladysmith Black Mambazo have married the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of gospel music. The a cappella group became internationally famous when Paul Simon featured them on his 1986 album Graceland. They tour the world regularly and have won three Grammy Awards. They will feature favorites from their catalogue as well as selections from Songs From A Zulu Farm, their most recent release which has been nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award.
$40, $35, $15; FC, GCC, STCC and 17 & under $10

For more information please visit our website at https://fac.umass.edu/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=E40E281A-F0FA-4E49-81AD-AC3DEE5D37CC

17 Responses to Ladysmith Black Mambazo

How could I have a better start of semester other than listening/contemplating Ladysmith Black Mambazo? The combination of voice, energy, dance, and corporeal expression made this performance one of the most powerful I’ve seen in my life.

I WAS THRILLED WHEN THE FLYER SHOWED LADYSMITH COMING TO UMASS. THE PERFORMANCE WAS EXCELLENT AND BROUGHT TO MIND THE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES THROUGH TELEVISION AND THE GRACELAND TAPE WITH PAUL SIMON. TO BE ABLE TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF SUCH A MIRACULOUS GROUP WAS EXHILARATING AND MOVING. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE. SUE RUNSHAW

The music of these amazing men has been delighting audiences for many years, in the US, since Paul Simon brought them to our attention with “Graceland”. Since that time, I have loved them and treated myself to a concert almost 20 years ago. I see how the years are bringing in a new generation! They were seamless in their vocals and wonderful entertainers for a packed house! My theater group, The Rainbow Players, were the happy recipients of 4 Angel tickets which made it possible for them to enjoy this amazing concert. Thank you for bring exceptional performances to the Pioneer Valley!

A Capella? I don’t think so!
I never saw any instruments, I’ll give you that, but I can tell you that when I wasn’t head-bobbing or toe-tapping I was observing that almost everyone around me was! So, the percussion ensemble was spectacular. Ladysmith was far more entertaining than I could have imagined. They should wear a pedometer. Bet they each covered a couple miles not even considering the height of their overhead martial art-like synchronized dance kicking. The music, as expected, resonated deep. I am sure that there were tones that were inaudible to we mere mortals that aligned the fibers of our souls. Thanks folks!

They were of course outstanding. It’s always fun to go to a performance where the people on stage seem to be having so much fun.
One comment that I’ve made before. I wish that the FAC would make a bigger announcement at the beginning of the concert to ask people very directly to not take pictures during the performance. There were far too many flashes going off last night. It really isn’t fair to the audience or the performers. My guess is that it leaves them with the wrong impression of the manners of UMass folks.
I want to leave on a positive note. I really wish I could see those guys more often.

What a reassurance that Ladysmith Black Mambazo is primed to continue sharing its music and soul with another generation, given that leader Joseph Shambalala’s five sons are part of the group. Last night’s concert was not only an a capella treat with voices of more denominations than I knew existed, but also a display of dancing and gymnastics. Toward the end of the concert Mambazo added comedy to the show. Despite driving through dense fog, this turned out to be a great night out.

When I told my husband I had purchased tickets for us to attend a Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert, he looked at me blankly. He did not know them yet but I did and I knew that I would love this evening. At the end of the concert, however, it was my husband who was on his feet first, applauding those lovely harmonies and upbeat performance with great enthusiasm. Thank you for inviting Ladysmith Black Mambazo to UMass. It was a real treat to have them here!

Ladysmith Black Mambazo was just extraordinary last night. The harmony was sensational, their message was wonderful and their overall stage performance was exhiliarating. It was just sincere joy to experience them yesterday. Thank you FAC for bringing them and for continuing to bring these performances that are culturally enriching.

Last night’s concert was amazing and wonderful, from beginning to end. I have long wanted to hear and see this group, in person, and finally last night was the culmination of that a long wait. Thank you, thank you for bringing their infectious, superb music and musicianship to us.

I brought my 15 year old son and we thoroughly enjoyed the show. Their enthusiasm and joy of singing is infectious and we left the concert feeling totally uplifted! Thanks for bringing them to our area!

This was a family Christmas gift. The four of us, all adults, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and got lost in the music. They are wonderful, exuberant musicians and it was so much fun to share this together. We were all transported! The gift of peace and joy they bring reminds us that we are one.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo fills me with joy every time I hear them (this is my third time seeing them). This performance left me singing and dancing all the way to my car. The tones and vibrations of their beautiful voices mesmerize and enchant the listener. What a powerful way to drive home their message of peace and love for all who share our planet! The dancing, so great. I appreciate fully how difficult it is to sing and dance and not get winded. I attended with a friend, a musician who plays and listens to music for a living. He was enthralled by the magic and power of just voices without instrumental accompaniment.
We also attended the pre-performance discussion given by Kari Njiiri. It was informative and entertaining and provided excellent background and insight into not only the group but their musical influences as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience.